Exercise for Kids: 6 Ways to Raise Your Children to Be Active

Every parent wants their kids to be three things: healthy, happy, and Messi (as in Lionel, world famous soccer phenom). Want to know the shortcut to all three? You should get them active to help foster healthy habits from a young age. Proper exercise for kids early on is incredibly important, not only physically but mentally and emotionally. In fact, a study review by the British Heart Foundation found that physical activity doesn’t just do a child’s body good. It also helps his or her social and emotional development.

Sounds easy, right? Put your kid on a soccer team and you’re good to go. Not so fast. Children don’t just embrace what mom and dad tell them to do. “Please, more kale salad,” said no kid EVER.

So what do you do? We asked Jim Taylor, Ph.D., a sports and parenting psychologist and author of Positive Pushing: How to Raise a Successful and Happy Child,for his best tips on how to truly make the most when it comes to exercise for kids. Here’s the 411 on how parents can encourage their kids to love a good sweat.

Exercise for Kids Tip #1: Start Them Young

Don’t wait. Make exercise for your kids a priority as soon as they’re physically able. “If kids’ earliest memories are of being part of a physically active family, they’ll never question whether exercise is something they should do or not,” Taylor says. “Instead, it’s a part of who they are.”

That’s not to say they’ll grow up to be sloths if you’ve been slow to introduce physical activity into their lives. Really, it’s never too late to start. “You can begin with something very basic like playground outings and walks in the park,” says Taylor, “right up to regular organized sports activities if they’re a bit older.”

Exercise for Kids Tip #2: Laugh, and Then Laugh Some More

Smiles are contagious. Every time you and your child play tag, kick a ball, hike up a hill, or even walk together to the store, you’re improving your health and happiness, Taylor notes. Getting back to the exercise fundamentals is crucial. “Don’t make it a grind,” he advises. “If you’re pushy or start putting pressure on your child to do an activity or sport, they won’t want to return to it. If you make it fun, then they’ll want to do it again. It’s that simple.”

Exercise for Kids Tip #3: Show, Don’t Tell

Parenting isn’t a spectator sport, but being a child kind of is. Kids catalog everything you’re doing and can be influenced accordingly. That’s why exercise for kids is crucial to consider when it comes to crafting your own routine, too. For example, a study from the University of Bristol revealed that youngsters were more physically active than their peers if their parents had at least a twice-weekly habit of hitting the gym.

“Being a good role model is perhaps the most important way to engage kids in exercise,” says Taylor. “If parents are active, the kids get the message that fitness is important.”

Exercise for Kids Tip #4: Start Small

Of course, even if something looks enjoyable, all kids are different. Whereas one child might be shimmying up trees as soon as she can walk, another may view the second rung of the monkey bars as her Everest.

Taylor recommends breaking an activity into small, separate steps to get more cautious kids to feel better outside their comfort zone. “Start with something you know they can manage,” he says, “and be there for them so that they feel safe when initially trying it out.”

Exercise for Kids Tip #5: Mix It Up to Make It Stick

We all know consistency is key to developing healthy habits, but variety (like trying a kid-friendly Spartan obstacle course race!) will keep your kids curious. That may mean mixing and matching different activities to find the one that suits.

“Some kids prefer physical activities that are social,” Taylor says. “Others prefer to get involved in a sport because they enjoy improving or competing. But they won’t discover what they enjoy unless they try out a lot of different activities. And don’t limit them to activities that you are interested in. Help them find their own.”

Exercise for Kids Tip #6: Watch Your Mouth

You can do the above, but if you grumble when you go to the gym or call your training “torture,” your child will likely look on exercise as punishment, not pleasure.

“And it’s not just the words you use but the emotional content behind them,” Taylor says. “Kids pick up on any anxiety or aggression you may have toward exercise or getting them to do exercise.”

So choose these words: Awesome, fun, exhilarating, or just plain old good. Develop your own mental toughness so you can improve your outlook on exercise. Do that and your kids won’t just love exercise; they’ll love you for making them feel great about it.